Isn't it ironic
Been busy and tired the past few days that's why didn't get to blog. Played pool on thursday with 2 of my childhood frens. Knew them for 20 years and counting. Was talking to them about how each one of us is doing. Surprisingly, both of them (1 who had worked about 3+ year in the IT industry and the other who worked 3+ year in the civil industry) are thinking of choosing ITE lecturer as their next and possibly final career move. They said that the benefits and the pay are good. In addition, the school will even sponsor you if you wanna continue pursue a Master Degree.
It seems so ironic that it is the people who studied poly are the ones who keep on upgrading themselves. Both of them went to poly after the secondary school days. Both of them took a part time degree while they came out to work after Army. After getting their degree, now they're even thinking of the option of getting their Masters if they have the money to do so. My primary school mates who went to JC then to Uni didn't even think of furthering the studies. Enough is enough at degree level. Is it the people in JC are not appreciative or self motivated to further their studies or the people in poly are more practical and thinks further? Hmmm.....
After pool, bought "dua huay" from Selegie road for my family and my girlfren's family. When I reached her place at 1030, her youngest bro,4, had not sleep yet. Here is an interesting quote that he said when his mum was testing his memory and knowledge. The youngest bro didn't want me to leave the house and his mum said that if he answered wrongly, then Nigel kor kor going to go back home and rest.
Who do you call a person who sells fish?
"Fishmonger" came the reply. (smart kid)
Who do you call a person who catches thieves?
"Policeman"
Who do you call a person who bakes cakes?
"Baker"
Then his dad asked him:
Who do you call a person who beats ur backside?
"Mummy"
Everyone in the room went in a state of laughter including the mum. Had a good time chatting with my girlfren's family and also managed to leave the house without the youngest bro making much noise. hee.
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Today's church service, the pastor said a lame joke. She said:
"Daniel (not the one found in the bible) was thrown into a den with a few lions in it. Desperate, he knelt down and prayed real hard. When he opened his eyes one by one, he couldn't believe what he saw. He saw the lions were in kneeling position too and two of the paws clasped together like a praying position. Curious, Daniel asked the lions,"Why are your praying? I'm praying coz I'm in danger." One of the lions replied," Oh, we're giving thanks for our food."
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Update of my lil sis: She has not asked for the other ATM card since that day. Her sudden swing of attitude depends on her mood. If she's in good mood, she'll reveal where she go/went and what she did. No quarrels these few days in the family. Thank God. March 10th will be the day she ends her counselling session and also BPC. My parents are just hoping that after that date, my lil sis would have settled the "possibility of afraid of going back girls' home and the dreaded probation". Let it be lifted from her mind in hope that she'll be able to think of her future after that. Keep on praying for her....
When will my lil sis want to think about the future?
Update about my little sis.
Since that midnite incident few days back, my lil sis has not gone "crazy" and quite mild in her actions. Didn't bring frens back stay overnite. The difference between her and her 2 gal frens (A & B) is she dun go school anymore liao but the other 2 does. Thus, everyday she will sleep till afternoon then laze around at home till dinner time. After that she'll go out till midnite come back. Sometimes will pass midnite.
Today she went abit "crazy" again in the afternoon. She wanted her atm card back from my mum. She got 2 atm card. 1 is the normal one that she carry which has less than 10 bucks. The other one is her ang bao money since young and have not touch one. Last year my mum let her have the 2nd card and within 3 days she withdrew out $1.2k. She maxed out the withdrawal for each day ($200 cash withdrawal and $200 fund transfer). How do we know? Coz my mum went to update bank book and found out. She secretly took out the card and kept the card without my lil sis knowledge the following day. She finished spending this year's ang bao money liao and asked mummy for the other atm card coz those ang bao money that were kept for the past few years are rightfully hers.
My mum wanted to go out of house to fetch grandma to see polyclinic but my lil sis dun allow her to leave the house unless she give her the card. Thank God my uncle came at that time and brought my mum out (my lil sis wun make a fuss when other relatives are around). My mum told me all these when I went to fetch her and grandma from the polyclinic after the visit. She say cannot pass her the card or else she may use the money to buy drugs or anyhow spend with her "wine meat buddies". If you look at my lil sis' friendster testimonials, alot commented that they dunno her that well BUT they know that she's rich. *faint*
A conversation in the barbershop
A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cutand his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work,they began to have a good conversation.They talkedabout so many things and various subjects.
When they eventually touched on the subject ofGod, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists.""Why do you say that?" asked the customer.
"Well, you just have to go out in the street torealize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if Godexists, would there be so many sick people? Wouldthere be abandoned children? If God existed, therewould be neither suffering nor pain. I can'timagine a loving a God who would allow all of thesethings."
The customer thought for a moment, but didn'trespond because he didn't want to start anargument.The barber finished his job and the customer left theshop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked real dirty and unkempt.
The customer turned back and entered the barbershop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist."
"How can you say that?" asked the surprisedbarber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"
"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don'texist because if they did, there would be no peoplewith dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."
"Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens, ispeople do not come to me."
"Exactly!"- affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."
Police wants teens to be home by 11pm
Feb 16, 2006
Police act to keep teens off streets after 11 pm
Parents to be told if their kids are caught loitering; move aims to cut
crime
By Ben Nadarajan and Sonia Tan
POLICE are seeking the help of parents in keeping teenagers below 17 off
the streets at night - and out of trouble.
If they catch teens loitering in public places after 11pm, they will notify
the parents, telling them what their child has been up to.
It is not meant to get the teens into trouble, but to ensure that they do
not become easy prey for crooks out to steal or rob someone.
Keeping teenagers at home also means they will not be provoked into
committing crimes themselves, by their friends or other teenagers.
The police have taken this controversial measure as more youths are turning
to crime, as well as becoming victims.
They logged 36,704 offences last year, up 20 per cent from the year before
and the highest since 1998.Youths - those aged below 19 - made up 22 per cent of
the total number of arrests, although they comprise just 15 per cent of the
population.The largest increases were crimes by, or against, youths.For example,
136 teenagers had their belongings snatched last year, a jump of 68 per cent
from the 81 cases in 2004.The number of youths committing snatch thefts also
increased, from 58 to 77.There were 255 youths robbed last year, a 28 per cent
increase on the previous year. And the number of young robbers went up to 204
from 2004's figure of 166.Another 205 young people were arrested for rioting,
with half of the cases involving fighting with their peers.
More of these fights are taking place at void decks, lift landings, and
along the corridors of Housing Board blocks, the police said.Police officers on
patrol at night will stop teens they see loitering at void decks, shopping malls
and other public places. Their particulars will be taken and, a few days later,
a letter will reach their parents.Police director of operations Aubeck Kam said
the police wanted to help parents be aware of what their children were up
to.'Some parents may already know and be OK with their children hanging around,
but others may think their children are out studying somewhere instead,' said
Senior Assistant Commissioner Kam.
Teenagers, however, decry the measure as a 'nannying nuisance' and a
restriction of their freedom.
Brian Tan, 16, says it assumes that teenagers are unable to make choices
and accept the consequences of their actions.
Melissa Quek, 14, described the cops as 'sabo-kings' - a term youths often
use to describe those who rat on them.'By telling our parents, it makes it seem
as though staying out at night is bad. My parents would probably stop letting me
go out,' she said.
But 17-year-old George Bowen Uy III feels it is reasonable, adding that
those who gripe about the measure are probably those who are out to 'cause
trouble' anyway.Parents are in favour of the move, although Dr Pauline Cheong, a
mother of four, thinks it 'a shame' that the police are involved in something
that should be the parents' job.
Says SAC Kam: 'It would be a shame if our officers came across a youth two
or three times loitering around at night, but we made no effort to let the
parents know so that they could do what they thought was best for their
child.
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After reading the article, I feel that it's useless. Why? It'll only make those who told parents that they're studying at friends' house but were found somewhere else more cautious (how many percent does that make up compared to those who are rebellious where parents know they're outside but can't do anything?). Otherwise, most of the teenagers dun even care about hiding things from the family. I believe those problematic ones the parents already know that their children are outside loitering but what can they do?
And what are the police doing? Just going up to them taking down particulars and calling the parents that they're loitering at some void decks? (as if most of the parents dunno. What the parents want is the police bringing them back home but I dun think the police gonna go to such extent. It'll end up the police being the free cabbies.)
Even my little sis say that instead of loitering at void decks, they'll choose to go to friend's place and chat thru the nite. See how they catch.
I read in a book called "strengthening your grip" and on the chapter of authority, it's opening paragraph says...
"Each succeeding generation seems to put authority to new tests. Let's face it, this generation is tough, not tender. No longer....
.... is the voice of the parent respected in the home.
.... is the sight of the policeman on the corner a model of courage and control.
.... is the warning of the teacher in the classroom feared and obeyed.
.... is the older person treated with dignity and honour.
.... is the husband considered " the head of the home."
You agree with the above passage?
1. Childhood - A rebellious nature is conceived in a home where parents relinquish control.
2. Adolescence - A rebellious spirit will be cultivated among peers who resist control. And if it isn't curbed there, it culminates at
3. Adulthood - A rebellious life must be crushed by God when He regains control.
Reflect upon yourself (be it if you're a parent or a teenager), you feel the same? or your family someone is behaving like that? The 3 points are progressive thus curb them asap or else it'll be very disastrous if you let God do the crushing.
My "Playground"
Happy belated Valentine's day everyone. Yesterday spent this occasion sending flowers for my girlfren. After dinner at home went to pick up her brother and the flowers. When we finished delivering to the required places was around 9pm liao. After that the boss wanted to treat all those who helped out in the shop and thus I joined along and ate supper with them. By the time finished eating and stuff around 10+ liao and my girlfren was quite tired. Only time I spent time alone with her was when I sent her back home which is about 20min ba. Gave her my vday presents for her and that's it for the day. Due to the good response of orders, my girlfren skipped class on vday and went to help out in the shop. In 2 days she only slept about 8 hours ba. Today she's down with stomach flu.... my poor dear dear.... Hope she'll get well soon....
Oh ya, yesterday during work, I went to ST Marine to send 2 catalogues for the Technical office engineer. It was really a long journey. Past NTU to discovery centre there and further in. That long stretch of road got several shipyards and companies. The ships that were on repair are really gigantic. It seems like moving buildings when you see the size of the shipyards. Work is getting more and more interesting.
Now let me show everyone my "playground".
This is one of the company van. Yup, we deal with navigational lights, cable glands and alot of "other stuff". Tong Sim Marine & Electric company was founded in 1977 by 3 people. One of them decided to sell the shares to the other 2 partners during the early days and thus now it's a partnership business for 30 years and counting. From a small office room without a shop front and progressing on to a shop. Few years later it expanded and moved on to a bigger building in kallang way. As things got more and more, they shifted again and is current located in kaki bukit industrial estate with 2 warehouse to store cables (gigantic ones).
When you enter the 4-storey building, you'll be greeted with this "mess". This is the "marketplace" where goods are collected or consolidated before they're transported out of the building. I heard from the "old guards" (those working for more than 10 years) that when they first moved in 9 years ago, everything was not that messy. But as things got more and more, they build the "half storeys". Now even with the half storeys, it still look chaotic. As I had an enthusiastic, teachable and willing heart, I picked up things fast and roughly know the locations of each particular goods in 2 weeks. Of coz I cannot say that I know everything but at least I know the locations of major or common goods.
This is one of the ladder to climb up to the half storey. It's really fun to climb up and down to find the stuff. Within these 3 weeks, I got to know different kind of navigation bulbs (halogen, metal halide, high pressure sodium, mercury); screw type bulbs, pin type bulbs; different voltage, watts, amps. There are also cable glands, sirens, mast lights, stern lights, signal lights. There are still alot of other stuffs that I've yet to really know the name and usage. Can you be amazed that the old guards know which item is on which storey and roughly placed on which rack and location? There are 4 storeys and up to 40 racks and even more partitions. My brain cannot store so much stuff in it yet. haha. But they're computer illiterate or else everything will be more efficient. But nonetheless, their experience is very very vast and I've alot alot of things to learn from them.
On the 2nd storey is the office. This pic is taken from the lift. My sis is sitting in one of the table on the left hand side of the room (dun think can see her in this pic). Imagine even the walkway also got stuff. The company carries up to 10+ major brands (eg, Philips, GE, Glamox, Legrand) with 2 brands being the sole distributor of Singapore (Wiska - Norway brand and Schmersal - Germany brand). Tong Sim Marine & Electric company really had gone through a humble beginning and it takes alot of hard work, risk, commitment and of coz a dedicated team of colleagues to build it to where it is now. It needs a smooth transition for the younger generation to grasp its roots (high standards in terms of quality and good customer service) and even learn and pick up from there.
A glimpse of the 3rd storey. The 4th storey would look something like that too. but dun wanna bore you with mountains of boxes.
Regarding my little sis, everything is still a question mark. Sometimes she will not come back home till the next morning. Sometimes she'll be back at 4am (yesterday); while sometimes will be back by midnite. But everything is at a standstill as there's no war erupting. She dun bring ppl back home to stay overnite but she still stays out late. Praying that everything will be better the next day.
Outdoor sale for my gf's mum flower shop and showcasing some of my repaints
Summarizing what I had done for the past few days:
Everyday in the workplace is a fun and great learning experience. People said that you'll prefer schooling than working. However, I beg to differ. I prefer working than schooling even though it means forgoing your breaks and slacking whenever you want. For working, I dun need to worry about weekends to rush some assignments or quizzes. I feel I'm contributing to the company and learning things that are of interest to me. I understood what it meant by volts, watts, hertz
In school, I have to learn stuff that I'm not interested in additional to the lousy lecturer who may have difficulty pronouncing certain words clearly. Thus most of the time one would be either spending building castles in the air or trying to figure out what the lecturer is talking about instead of understanding it.
After I listed the flowers in this site, forums, got about 3 orders thru it. At my workplace, I manage to get another 3 orders. haha, I'm the part time outdoor sales for my gf's mum flower shop liao. On saturday I heard from my gf that there's about 60+ orders till date and that means I help to make up about 10% of the orders. haha. But I believe the orders will greatly increase for today and tomorrow onwards. Heard from my gf that the purple dyed roses turned out very nice. Shall ask her to take a pic and post it sometime. hee.
Did a few repaints of my toys since the start of 2006. Let me share with everyone.
Seeing my lil sis weep for the first time in her teenage years
I'm blogging what happened on monday nite.
After the incident of particulars being taken down by the police while everyone was at grandparents house celebrating my grandfather's birthday, my lil sis came back at around midnite to change her clothes. Initially she wanted to bring her frens (girl A & B and 3 other teenager guys) into the house but my mum forbidded her to do so. Woke my dad up as he's the head of the household.
During the whole commotion, the rest of my lil sis's frens were outside of the house waiting for her. My dad was quite furious and couldn't control his temper anymore. Initially he asked her to tell her frens to go back home and she come back home and sleep. When she dun wan, my dad was fuming (can see his face turn red) and wanted to step out of the house and go outside and scold her frens. My mum and I stopped him from doing so as it'll not help in the situation at all. While stopping my dad, he was shouting and scolding my lil sis from making the whole family upside down for the past 2 years. He said that of all the children he have, he pampered her the most and showed the most love and concern for her. She's the little princess in his eyes. Never beaten her nor not buying the things that she wanted since young. Why she has to make him so angry and heartache. I have to admit that when my dad said those words out, I could sense the sadness he's feeling as a father and could see his eyes abit wet.
At that moment, I had a hard time trying to control my feelings. (almost wanted to drop a tear coz can feel the sadness in my heart too). I broke my silence as a brother (I seldom speak when my parents are talking to my lil sis but when I do, it's normally when my parents dunno what to say already or things are going to be catastrophic.) and told my lil sis," no parent in this world would wanna see their children go girl's home coz they love them too much. You're their flesh and blood. Our Dad is not threatening you. He's just asking you to go and think and which route you wanna choose. You can choose to study, learn a skill, or work to earn a pay. Papa and mummy dun wan you to be doing nothing when one day they passed away. It's for your own good. If you do not care about yourself, no one else can change you. If our papa and mummy do not love you, they would not even allow you to stop school and let you learn hairdressing since you said you got no interest in studying. For other family, if you said they you dun wanna study, you'll be thrown out of the house. What they're asking now is, since you not interested in studying, not interested in hairdressing then what you wanna do? If you said that papa and mummy has not loved you, then tell them what they have to do."
As expected like what my fren lene has said, my lil sis replied she dunno. How long will she know what she going to do, she dunno. She replied that we adults do not honour the words, keep on using sending her back to girl's home as a threat. All the while she's been very stressed by the thoughts of probation, counselling and going back to girl's home. She dun wan to go there. She want her freedom. When she speak these words, she was weeping already.
My dad told her that he will not say anything to the counsellor the next day (the following day is my lil sis's weekly meet the counsel session). Let her do the talking. Coz when my dad said anything about the curfews she has broken many times, immediately she'll be in girl's home. He'll let her hang out with her frens tonite until the next day. But go and think about what had been said.
My lil sis went to change her clothes and went out of the house. Finally peace at 12+ near to 1am. My mum on the alarm when the door is closed coz she scared that my lil sis will sneak in with her frens. (there's always something bad that will happen when she bring girls and guys to stay over nite. 2 occasions found evidence that seems like glue sniffing thus my parents are very strict about guys staying overnite.)
When I went back to my room, I could see my lil sis and her frens loitering outside of the house sitting in the middle of the road chatting. One of them even brought our husky out for a walk. Think they stayed till 1+am and carried on their nite journey somewhere else in our neighbourhood.
Helping my girlfren's mum promote flowers
Very sian of posting regarding my sis. Yesterday had quite a commotion at 12 midnite. Shall leave that to tomorrow's post. Now going to promote my girlfren's mum flowers for valentine's day!
Here are only sample pics. Got Gerberas, Tulips and sunflowers too!. Interested can send me a sms at 94234522 (Nigel) and I'll direct you to my girlfren regarding transaction details and address if need delivery.
Additional info: 1) Delivery will be any part of the island but timing not fixed coz the courier need to plan route of movement. Eg, cannot die die say deliver at 1.30pm. The most they can do i think is before certain timing that u specify.2) The flowers are nicely wrapped. Dun believe can compare with other florist and look at the way they wrap. They also put alot of different "accessories" (feelers). From the pics, you can see that besides baby breath, there are many other types of feelers added onto it which I dunno their names la.
Deadline of order: This weekend. 12/02/06. Thus those who yet to buy, dun wait liao. Order now if you feel the flower bouquet is nice. =)
Even police can't do anything
It has been the 3rd consecutive day that my lil sis and gang has been going out in the early evening and back the following morning. When everyone is having dinner, she's not back. When everyone going to sleep, she not back. When everyone wake up and go work liao she's still not back. Until when my mum comes back from work (she works half day) in the afternoon she'll see my lil sis's room locked up. Now she's so tactical that the girl's shoes, she will not leave at the door but keep it along in the room.
Today is my grandfather's 90th birthday and we celebrated at grandparents' place. She said she would go by herself but after we left at 9pm still no sight of her. My parents went to find her at the neighbourhood shopping mall and realised that girl B's parents and cousin and cousin bf (police) and fren (also police) were there. Before they came, another batch of police came and took down their particulars (3girls 3 guys) and told them that they have to be at their respective home by the following day or else will be locked up in prison. (Dunno how true that the police will take such effort to do such stuff.)
That's what my parents told me when they came back. My lil sis? still not back yet. You may be wondering how come police never took them to police station? Coz they didn't commit any crime. They got nothing to detain them for. But after taking down particulars, if they're not back the following day, they will be "wanted".
Ok, let me give a brieft summary of the 3 girls (including my lil sis).
My lil sis - 15 years old this year. stopped schooling for 1 year. dunno what she wanna do yet. Hanging out daily.
Girl A - 16 years old this year, currently taking O levels this year but also have not been going to school liao. Heard she say scared of all the projects due for her technical class. Parents gave up to come and find her back home. Have been praying for the change of heart.
Girl B - 14 years old this year, blur blur join them and roam around with them. Has a bf whom I do not know much of. Parents and cousin accused my lil sis and girl B for "bringing" their daughter bad but what the girls reply is that girl B only join them halfway everyday. Other half would be spent with bf's place or with bf.
All 3 of them are from different sec sch. This shows how good their connection is. All 3 have not been going school for quite some time liao. All smoke. Dun ask me how they manage to buy. My lil sis look mature enough thus it's the vendor's fault for NOT checking IC. Now those 15 and below will not have their IC. unlike my time think P6 make liao.
Ok, you can say teenagers now are foolish of not thinking of their future. BUT they're smart in a sense that they know what are the limits. Eg, police can't catch them since they didn't do anything wrong. Smoking most get warning first time. Glue sniffing first time most will be 6 months probation. They know how to fund transfer (ATM or phone they both know) while recently an adult was reported that she transferred wrongly to another account and said she will never ever do that (fund transfer) again.
Today the news said that some parents even hired PIs to spotcheck on their children. So you can guess roughly how different are kids now and kids then. The only difference is how rebellious, how much face they want, whether they have thought about the future. All these that is happening, I believe the police have heard more than enough. But are they doing anything? I think even if they want, they also dunno how to go about it.
First day of work
Today is the first day of work. Lots of things to learn. A building with 4 storeys where 3 storeys are store and 1 storey office, one can imagine the tons of products in the building. Still got 2 more warehouse storing big cables and lights.
Thank God everyone is friendly and willing to explain to me the layout of 1st storey. Going to make a layout plan to make everything look neater and label them on the racks. The experienced workers no need but for me a newbie, it certainly will benefit my learning curve faster.
As it's the first day of work after CNY, only got half day. Went to Genki Sushi to have buffet again. hee. Really very nice. the salmon is very fresh and thick!
Went to watch I Not Stupid Too. It's very nice. Relates alot on teenager issues. Jack Neo really did a lot of research and put in alot of local flavour and incidents into the show. There are many touching scenes which moved my girlfren to tears. Dun trust the critics which said how lousy it is. I think it's much better than the first movie.
The movie will speak both to the parents and to the teenagers who watched it. Relates about school system, issues on public canning, sex education, gang, fake police, teenager robbery attempt, problems of asian being conservative (lacking expression of love and appreciation and praise) and FAMILY.
Go watch it. Highly recommended!
After the movie, brought my girlfren to cosy bay. A place which I had not gone for a very long time. Very windy and nice ambience. A great place for couples to hang out or for frens to chill out.
